The Conservative-run council said this was because there has been “significant changes” in private sector involvement in running HWRCs, which has led to much higher quotes.
The service is currently managed by Amey after it was awarded a temporary emergency contract in March last year after its previous operator, FCC Environment, left its contract early citing “commercial reasons” (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, the council has confirmed that management of its facilities will now be brought in-house when Amey’s contract expires in March 2022.
‘Significant changes’
The decision to move in-house follows an “examination of options” by an all-party scrutiny committee last year.
Mark Deaville, Staffordshire county council’s cabinet member for commercial, said there has been “significant changes” in private sector involvement in the household waste recycling market in recent years, with fewer companies wanting the work and those that do quoting higher prices.
In a statement yesterday (18 March), he explained: “If we had put the contract out to tender we do not believe that there would be enough competition in the market for the county council to negotiate a deal that was good financially and also provided the flexibility to respond to changing environmental, recycling and climate change agendas in the next decade.
“Therefore, we believe resuming the management and day-to-day running of our sites is the best option to ensure we maintain the best service for residents, be sustainable and provide value for money.”
‘Sophisticated’
The county council currently has 14 HWRCs across Staffordshire, as well as a site over the county border at Baddesley Ensor, jointly funded with and run by Warwickshire county council.
The council has assured residents that there will be “no difference” when the change over happens next year, although it has plans to improve facilities and “encourage more sophisticated recycling methods”.
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